Before whisky legend Jim McEwan set off to lead the way at Bruichladdich, he was the master distiller at Bowmore for over twenty years - bringing the reputation of the distillery to the top of the single malt world. Now that he's bottling casks independently with the Murray McDavid project, he finally got the chance to get his hands on some of his old creation and manipulate it to his liking. By using empty wine barrels from Pomerol's most sought after chateau, McEwan took his Bowmore 13 year (aged in bourbon casks) and elegantly married the subtle peat smoke of Islay with the red fruits of Bordeaux giant Petrus. This amazingly priced malt is an aromatic mix of cooked plums, sweet black cherry, ripe strawberries, and smoked spices. It has swirls of vanilla, biscuit and apples with a dusting of cocoa. The smokey/spicy background embraces cranberry, honeyed malt, candied fruit, and liquorice. We bought every single bottle he had left. Prepare to be impressed. It will knock your socks off!